Traditional athletic footwear generally has a midsole that has substantial thickness in the heel and forefoot which does not allow the sole to conform to the wearers foot while it is flexed and torqued during the gait cycle. This has a negative impact on the fit of the shoe and does not allow the foot to flex and expand in the transverse and longitudinal planes. Minimal athletic footwear with thinner midsole profiles have been designed to try to accommodate this flexion and torsion and to allow the shoe to expand in the transverse and longitudinal planes, but is done at the sacrifice of the amount of material placed under the users foot. As a result, minimal-type products generally require very thin sole elements with very little support provided to the wearer.